Legislative Highlights for the Week of 3/7/22 (Part 2 of 2)

(via the Illinois Federation of Teachers)

Bills Impacting Students

HB 3296 (Rep. Ness, D-Carpentersville) requires school districts, for grades 6 – 12, to implement a postsecondary and career expectations framework. For school districts that enroll grades 9 -12, shall become an eligible district and award College and Career Pathway endorsements as outlined in the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act. Allows school board to opt out, if they can submit materials to the State Board of Education, demonstrating that they are currently doing similar work. Requires school districts to post program information on districts’ websites. the bill passed the House and will no head to the Senate for further consideration.

HB 4365 (Rep. Didech, D-Buffalo Grove) allows a student's IEP team to determine whether the special education program of a school district is unable to meet the needs of a child with a disability. In late February, ISBE filed emergency rules similar to the provisions of the bill that would allow for emergency and student-specific placements in nonapproved facilities when no approved facility accepts the student or has immediate placement availability. To qualify for reimbursement of the costs of these placements, districts must demonstrate good faith efforts to locate an approved facility and must ensure the facility meets the criteria as set forth in the emergency rules. Passed the House unanimously.

HB 4716 (Rep. Halpin, D-Rock Island) requires the State Board of Education, Secretary of State and other stakeholders to update course content and learning standards for the classroom and laboratory phases of driver education for novice teen drivers under the age of 18. Passed the House unanimously.

HB 5193 (Rep. Hirschauer, D-West Chicago) provides that every school district shall include safe gun storage information in schools' student handbooks. Passed the House 99-5.

School Operations

HB 4813 (Rep. Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria) exempts from contract bidding requirements contracts for goods, services, or management in the operation of a school's food service, including a school that participates in any of the United States Department of Agriculture's child nutrition programs. Passed the House unanimously.

Tax and Revenue Legislation

HB 448 (Rep. Walker, D-Arlington Heights) provides that, for levy years 2021 and later, the taxing district's aggregate extension base is the greater of the district's last preceding aggregate extension limit or the district's last preceding aggregate extension. The bill passed the House 93-11-0.

Assessment

HB 5285 (Rep. LaPointe, D-Chicago) prohibits the IL. State Board of Education from funding standardized tests for students in grades Prek-2nd. The bill doesn’t prohibit assessments used in screening for or diagnosis of disabilities. School districts still have the option to fund their own assessments. The bill passed the House 79-26-1.

Candidates File to Be Included on June 28th Primary Ballot

Monday, March 7, was the first day of a weeklong period in which Democratic and Republican candidates looking to get on the June 28 primary ballot began filing nominating petitions. In the coming weeks IFT will send candidates questionnaires out and PAC meetings will be scheduled later this spring.

A look ahead

Both the House and Senate are in Springfield this week. Now that bills have been moved from their originating chamber the focus will move back to committee action on cross chamber bills. Legislators continue to meet in Appropriations Committees to take testimony and also privately to craft the FY23 state budget.

Check Under the Dome for additional legislative updates.